Reunited Families
by freddyburn
Summary: In the end, Lady Stonehearth finds what she missed the most.
1. Chapter 1

The Brotherhood without Banners huddled together at the edge of the battlefield, Lady Stonehearth at their centre. They were waiting for Queen Daenerys to take notice of them. She was dispensing justice and honours to all those who had served her or betrayed her, and those who had aided in averting the invasion of the White Walkers. Stannis Baratheon was sentenced to join the Nights Watch, as was many of his men. Ser Davos Seaworth, who had come upon the new Queens ship as it foundered and had aided her, was allowed to keep his title of Lord, but his lands were greatly reduced. It was his word that had spared Stannis's life. Davos would lose the remainder of his left hand. The new Lord Stark, who called himself Bran, much to Lady Stonehearth's disgust, was rewarded for his aid to the Queen. It was he who had ordered his Lords to aid her, to guide her through the late winter snows, to feed her army and to fight beside her. He had inherited his "Fathers" titles of Lord of Winterfell, Lord Paramount and Warden of the North, as well as a new title- Lord Protector of The Crossing. The Twins, and all its incomes and lands came with the title. Daenerys obviously knew she could not hold the North without a Stark, and all passed "crimes" House Stark had committed against House Targaryen were forgiven when they had raised their banners in support of her claim.

The Brotherhood had journeyed north when news of the White Walkers attack, and the return of Daenerys Targaryen, had reached them. They had passed Riverrun, proudly flying the Tully colours once again. They had crossed over the ruins of The Twins- the North had remembered and let loose its fury on the Frey's. They had passed the rebuilt Winterfell, with the bones of the Boltons and Theon Greyjoy still displayed outside, the sigil of House Stark flying high. A pretender, Lady Stonehearth had said, a pretender sat in her children's place. She had named him- Jon Snow, she had said. None of her men wished to disagree with her, but many had heard that Jon Snow was still the Lord Commander of the Nights Watch- his men more loyal to him now than they were after he survived an assassination attempt, due to the fact that he had led several successful attacks against the Others, and slew a great number of their host with a sword that shone brighter than the sun and burned hotter than any fire.

(break)

It was getting late; it was unlikely that the Queen would get to them. Lady Stonehearth had ordered The Brotherhood to set up camp, and while they slept, she pulled up her hood and moved towards Castle Black. Jon Snow would pay for usurping her children. She was nearing the stairs to the Lord Commanders chambers when a voice stopped her.

"Hodor," it said. "Hodor, Hodor, HODOR."

Lady Stonehearth turned to find the stable boy from Winterfell pointing at her.

"Hodor," Hodor said to someone off to his right, and a fat Maester in black came waddling up to him, closely followed by two youths in the colours and sigil of House Reed. Maester Samwell and Lord Reeds two children if she remembered. She lowered her hood, hoping her face would make them back away. The Maester looked like he wanted to faint.

"Hodor," Hodor whimpered. The Reeds bowed.

"Lady Stark," they said.

"Lady Stark is dead," she hissed.

"Ahem," the Maester said, "we went to your camp to find you. The Lord Commander, Lord Stark and his brother Rickon wish for you to join them on the other side of the wall."

Lady Stonehearth hissed at the use of the names, but she had no choice but to follow the quartet as it moved away from her and through a tunnel built into the wall itself, leaving her hood down. If Jon Snow was this way, then she had no choice but to follow and continue her plan. On the other side though, her plans were forgotten. Three people stood there, with three massive Direwolves circling them, while they spoke to a large, hairy, creature. A giant. The giant grunted, pointed at her and rumbled something in some guttural language. The three humans turned, and Lady Stonehearth felt her dead hearth give a jolt as she recognised them. There was Jon Snow, of course, but it was the youths beside him that gave her the most shock.

They had grown so much. They were men grown now. Bran looked more like Ned then she had ever thought possible. He stood tall and proud, Summer towering over him, bigger than any horse, bigger than any bear. She had heard that the Old Gods had healed him, but she hadn't believed it, as she had always thought Bran was dead. He didn't seem shocked to see her, as Jon and Rickon did. Instead, he smiled at her, a smile as bright and joyous as when he was a boy. She took no notice of those around her as she rushed forward and hugged him. Summer snarled and snapped, but Bran ordered him to stop.

"It's ok mother," Bran said. "We can go home now."

Authors note: I can continue this if you want. Review and let me know.


	2. Chapter 2

Authors Note: POV may change in this chapter, so be prepared.

"To Winterfell we pledge the faith of Greywater. Hearth and heart and harvest we yield up to you, my lord. Our swords and spears and arrows are yours to command. Grant mercy to our weak, help to our helpless, and justice to all, and we shall never fail you. I swear it by earth and water. I swear it by bronze and iron. "We swear it by ice and fire."

Lord Howland Reed intoned the words of loyalty that Greywater Watch had used for centuries with a tone akin to pride, as if swearing fealty to House Stark once again was an act he was relieved to do. Lady Stoneheart watched from a shadowed corner as her son accepted the oath. At benches and tables around Winterfell's great hall, other Northern Lords and Ladies looked on, while to Bran's right, the new Targaryen Queen watched in fascination. She looked intrigued by the acts of fealty shown. When Lord Reed rose, Bran stood and asked for his blessing on Bran and Meera's wedding, which he received. When all was done, the feast began.

It didn't take long for the Greatjon to get drunk and begin to sing 'The Bear and the Maiden Fair.' He was soon joined by Torren Liddle and several other members of the mountain clans and a few Dothraki. Judging by the way they sang the song, these Dothraki were the ones who had ridden with Bran when he had ridden in Essos and across the Dothraki Sea. The festive feeling was soon ruined however. It didn't take long for some drunken squire to drag up history. A voice called out from the back of the hall that the Targaryen's were responsible for more Stark deaths than the Lannisters and that vengeance should be sought. A general murmur of assent went up from the crowd. The murmur of agreement began to swell until Bran banged his fist of the table and stood, Summers loud growls drowning out all other sound.

"Are we Frey's that we would so easily dismiss the Guest Right?" Bran demanded, staring at the assembled crowed, his voice ringing in the silence of the vast hall.

No one answered. Bran gazed around the hall, his eyes lit by some fierce fire.

"We are North Men," he said in a strong voice that echoed around the hall.

"Ours is the blood of the First Men. Our way is the older way," Bran said, and he looked at Osha. "This is Winterfell. Within these walls, anyone can prove themselves. We do not hold children guilty for the sins of their parents. You all swore loyalty to House Stark, and House Stark has sworn loyalty to the Targaryens. Be warned, if you break your oaths, if you break the Guest Right, MINE is the last face you shall see, and MINE is the last sword that will ever swing at you in life."

The hall remained quiet, and those who had been murmuring agreement with the squire moments before looked ashamed. Slowly, the chatter resumed, but Lady Stoneheart slipped out the side door of the great hall, for her grief at the memory of the Red Wedding was threatening to reveal itself to anyone with eyes.

000

Lady Stoneheart had wandered for a long time around Winterfell, not really paying attention to where she was going. When she finally woke from her stupor, she found herself sitting in front of the Heart Tree, and she smiled. Its red eyes did not scare her anymore. She had come to realise much since she had returned to Winterfell. While the Lord of Light may have brought her back to life, it was the Old Gods who were healing her. Her wounds were closing, her hair was growing back and returning to its natural colour, and she could feel her heart beat every so often.

They were unlike any of the other gods she knew, these Old Gods. The Seven were generally silent, the Lord of Light was quick and deadly, and both raised armies to propagate their faith. The Old Gods, however, moved slowly, thinking their long, slow thoughts. Always planning. Always finding chinks in other gods armour so that they may influence people. Always setting things up so that things could happen.

Ned had to die so Robb would go to war. She had to be with Robb or she would have stayed and mothered Bran. Bran had to be free of her influence to go beyond the Wall to learn his ability. The War of the Five Kings was needed to pave the way for the return of the Targaryens. Robb had to die so that the Frey's and Bolton's could be brought down. She had to die and be brought back by R'hllor so that she may learn what she lost and become the leader of The Brotherhood Without Banners. But what of Arya and Sansa? What had their deaths been for?

She pondered this for a long time. She was so lost in thoughts that she didn't notice Bran coming to sit beside her. When she did, she just studied him for a long time. He had the looks of his father, the young Ned that Catelyn Tully had married so long ago. The strong jaw, the thin lips that were by turns serious and joyous. His hair had darkened to a darkish red, almost brown, and his blue eyes were flecked with green. She saw all this because at that moment he was relaxed. He was not Lord Stark here. Here he was Bran.

"I have news," Bran said at last, smiling. "It seems we have found Sansa and Arya. The real Arya and Sansa."

Lady Stoneheart felt her heart lurch and hammer out a few beats before becoming still again.

"Where?" she asked.

"Arya was in Braavos, under an assumed identity. She arrived in Kings Landing and revealed her identity to Lord Varys. She knew details that only Arya could know. Sansa was at the Eyrie. She was living there as the bastard daughter of Petyr Balish. Lord Balish admitted as such when the Lords of the Vale bound and chained him and sent him packing for the wall. Sansa is coming up the Kings Road with Robert Arryn in tow. Arya is coming by sea."

"Are we certain?"

"Positive."

000

Sansa could never remember seeing the Kings Road to Winterfell been so crowded. Many of the Northern Lords were Leaving Winterfell to return to their own holdings, smallfolk were coming to the winter town to trade and there were throngs of southeron Lords and knights who were making their way to the Nights Watch to avoid the Queens justice before she came south. Beside her was Petyr Balish, looking tired and older than his thirty six years. Loras Tyrell, with his flowing long hair that covered the burn scars, rode a little ahead of them, his armour duller than the armour of any sellsword. Lord Randell Tarly rode beside Ser Loras, trying to reassure the disillusioned young knight with things like "if my pig of a son and a bastard boy can survive the wall and rise to high ranks, we are sure to be well received and get good ranks." Sansa doubted it. She had heard of what had happened to Janus Slynt for questioning her bastard brother's orders. Or her cousin, depending on what story you believed.

She was nearing the gate and trying to calm young Robert Arryn, when a skinny young woman rode up beside her. Neither of them spoke to each other. They each knew who the other was, even if they had introduced themselves by false names. Finally, as they passed through the gate, the other woman spoke.

"We are home!"

"Yes, we are," Sansa agreed.

"Romantic fool," Arya muttered.

"Horseface," Sansa shot back.

They both grinned.

A/N: Second chapter done. Any idea's for the third chapter, or anything you want to see in it, let me know.


End file.
